Effects of Pesticides in the United States 1.0 Introduction Pesticides are toxic chemical substances that are intentionally released into the environment to control or destroy harmful pests such as insects, rodents, weeds, and fungi among others. These substances work by attracting, luring, and then mitigating or destroying the pests. Pests can be described as animals or plants that compromise the quality and amount of food produce, health, and comfort. The application of pesticides has continued to grow decade after decade. According to Alavanja (2009), approximately 5.6 billion pounds of different types of pesticides are applied worldwide and over 1 billion pounds are used in the United States each year. It is also estimated that over 25 million workers in the